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mich tetes @anni ffrra DAVID R. TORBET, OF COLUMBUS, GEORGIA.

Letters Patent Noi 67,230, dated July 30,v 1867.

IMPROVEMENT IN COTTON-PRESS.

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TO ALL WHOM IT- MAY CONCERN:

Be it known that I, DAVID R. TORBET, of Columbus, in the county of Muscogee, andState of Georgia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Cotton, Hay, and other Presses; and I do hereby declare the following to be a lfull, clear, and exact description of the' same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specification, in which Figure 1 represents a side elevation of the press -with the platens run together near the centre, in height,-

of the press-box.

I Figure 2 represents an end elevation of the press, with the platens separated to their greatest extent.

Figure 3 represents a top plan of the press, and showing by red lines-how the press-box may be swung around fromlunder the upper platen and frame, so that the material to be pressed may be readily thrown into the press-box.

Figure 4 represents a top plan of the under portion of the press-frame, and showing the means of swinging out the press-box and of holding it to the turning-portion. l

vSimilar letters of reference, where they occur in the several separate igures, denote like parts ofthe press and of its frame in all the drawings. L

My invention consists in the manner of hanging the press-box to the frame so that it maybe swung around from under` the frame or platen to be filled, and as readily swung back under the platen and fastened whilst the material is being pressed into a bale.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A stout substantial frame, A, is made -to contain the press, and capable of resisting the pressure thereon. At the base of this frame A there is a bedspiece, B, through which a circular slot, a, is formed; and to this bedpiece is pivoted at b a plate, C, on which the under inverted arch-piece Drests. The plate C and bed-piece B are held together, and the former prevented from turning upon the latter by a pin or bolt, e, passing through both. But when this pin is withdrawn, and the yoke or bail d (which is attached to the plate) is hooked up over the end of the arch D,'then the plate and box can be swung around on the pivot c, and clear of the frame and platen, the screw-rod E, of the under platen, moving through the slotted arc or slot a, which also centres at the point or pivot b. The upper arch E is placed under the upper cross-piece of theframe A, and it is connected to the under arch D by tie-rods G II, the' former of which tie-rods has its upper portion hinged, as at e, so that that portion may be slipped into or out of the slot fin one end of the upper arch F when the box is to work under the platen, or be swung around tobe filled, as the case may be. I is the screw-rod or shaft of the upper platen J, and E is the screw-rod or shaft of the under platen K.- 'Ihere are nuts g h connected with the arches D F, in which the screw-rods E I respectively work. The tie-ro`d H, which is the permanent one, is in a vertical plane over the pivot-pin b, on which the plate C turns, as seen in fig. 2, so that when the press-box L, when swung out or around with the plate C, shall move on a centre corresponding to the centre 0f motion of the plate', and thus allmove without cramping or binding.

In this construction of press the box itself'becomes the sweep or lever by which-it is turned, and the arches being united to the box, and the nuts united to the arches, the turning of the press-box runs the platens towards each other` to press the material between them; and by reversing the motion of the box the pla'tens separate, the upper one, J, rising above the top of the press-box slightly, the lower one not descending so low as the bottom of the box 'of' necessity, but may he made to do so if any good purpose could be attained thereby.

rIhe lower portion ofthe press-box L is made so that it can be opened to remove the pressed bale, and closed when the box is to be filled. The straps z'z'z'forni hinges and locks both, and the tie-rods make journals for the hinges or hinged portions to swing on.- When a bale has been pressed, secured, and removed from the press-box the doors are closedand fastened, and the platens moved apart by turning the box Lby its arms or levers M until the upper is clear of the box. The hinged end of the tie-rod G is moved out of the slot in the end of-the arch F, as shown in red lines in iig.. 2, the bail d is thrown up over the end of the under arch-D,- and the pin or bolt c is drawn out; then by pushing or drawing u'pon the press-box, it, togetherwith the plate C, will move out and-swing around from under the frame and upper platen, and-its mouth or end be unencumbered by anything. The material to be pressed is thrown in until sufficient is in to form a. bale, and the box and its appendages are swung back into their places. i The hinged end of the tie-rod Gr is put into the notch f, the pin or bolt b passed into or through the plate and bed-piece, and the bail d thrown down 0r off from the arch, and the press is again ready to have the pressure of the platens applied by moving the press-box around by animal or any other power.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim therein as new, und desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The so constructing and arranging ot the pressbox, and its connected eo-operative parts, as that it may be swung olea-r out from under the platen or frame to be filled, and swung back and fastened so that pressure from one or both ends may be applied, substantially in the manner and for the purpose described.

D. R, TORBET.

4Witnesses:

A. B. SroUGHroN, EDM. F. BROWN. 

